I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings
by AtaraTheNinja
Summary: Neji hears a song on the radio which is eerily close to his own past. He flys to Japan to meet Crystal who wrote the song and ends up head over heels for her. Crystal falls hard for him and it's up to her to save his 'caged' soul. But can she save herself
1. Much Closer Then You Think

A/N- Alrighty, I had this great idea and had to turn it into a Fic, so that's where I get my motivation, it's all random. A shout out to the boy I like and my soul brother cause neither of them will ever read this. A shout out to Jordan, because she is probably the only one who will…. Thank you to anyone else who does read this you make me happy on the inside!

**Disclaimer- I don't own Naruto, I've said that before but what I haven't told you is one time I had a dream where I owned Naruto! HA! I checked copyright laws and if I'm mentally unstable or not in a conscious state and say I own Naruto you can do nothing! (Does anyone remember the good old days where lawyers didn't own the world and we didn't have to keep coming up with creative disclaimers?)**

**Chapter One- Much Closer Than You Think**

Crystal and Jackie walked at their own pace (slowly) from one store to another to another, never finding what they were looking for. "This is hopeless!" cried Jackie, "We're never gonna find anything that is good enough! Grrr!"

"Calm down J-dawg we'll find something."

"No we won't! It's hopeless, we should never have come."

"It was you're idea to come find your boyfriend a birthday gift, not mine." Crystal was losing her patience.

"I fail at everything I try!" Jackie pouted sinking into a couch in some random store. Crystal sniggered. "Shut up! At least I have a boyfriend! You fail at life!"

"So? What if I do?"

"Do you insist on making it impossible for me to be mad at you?"

"Yes." More sulking from Jackie. "How about we take a break and I'll buy you lunch at Taco Bell?"

"Let's go!" Shouted Jackie as she flung herself off the ground and pulled Crystal all the way to the food court. Jackie was lazy and except swimming for their school's team, she never did anything she considered 'physically taxing', but for Taco bell, she would always make an exception.

Crystal brought them lunch and they sat chowing down in the food court. Crystal didn't care that she'd had to pay, it was always better then talking. Sadly that wouldn't last too long. "So," Jackie asked, talking a long slurp of soda, "how's your home life?"

Crystal sighed, "My parents are still getting a divorce and I'm still scared out of my mind waiting for my driving final so I can finally get out of the death house whenever I want, that's basically it. Now it was Jackie's turn to sigh. "Are you really okay?" "Yeah," her friend answered sarcastically, "never better."

TIME SKIP

Back at Jackie's house, Jackie was going through Crystal's backpack, trying to amuse herself while her friend was at soccer practice. That's when she found a piece of lined paper with music notes scratched on it, closer inspection showed that there were lyrics on the back. The top of the paper was titled '_I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings_'.

**Verse 1:** I know why the caged bird sings,

I know why she cries.

She longs to be free, just like me,

You can see it in her eyes.

I look at the sky, so bright and blue,

Full of love and hope.

I look at the sky and my world is torn,

By the bars that stand in between.

**Refrain:** I long to fly, to soar in the sky,

But long ago they clipped my wings.

I long to fly, I just want to be free,

Set me free love, set me free.

**Verse 2:** Rain clouds press in around me,

Tears from heaven met.

Promises that were never kept,

Often lead to regret.

I pray to God way up high,

To set my caged heart free.

I look at the sky and my heart is torn,

By the bars that stand in between.

**Refrain:** I long to fly, to soar in the sky,

But long ago they clipped my wings.

I long to fly, I just want to be free,

Set me free love, set me free.

**Verse 3:** I know why the caged bird sings,

I know why she cries.

She sings a song to the sky, a song of hope,

A tail of passion to the sky.

Her notes soar on the breeze,

For every one to see.

A song of a cage, a trapped fate,

Because they've broken her wings.

After every thing she's been through,

They dare to wonder why.

**Refrain:** I long to fly, to soar in the sky,

But long ago they clipped my wings.

I long to fly, I just want to be free,

Set me free love, set me free.

**Verse 4:** On the sill I sit, transfixed as she sings to the sky,

I was caged by fate, just like her,

my wings were clipped, I could not fly.

Her song set me free, now I wish I could be,

Something to save her from, her pretty dreams.

I'll give her my wings, and we will fly.

My bird and I through a clear blue sky.

**Refrain:** I longed to fly, to soar in the sky,

But long ago they clipped my wings.

I longed to fly, I just wanted to be free,

She set me free. Her love, set me free.

**Verse 5:** I sang to her I set her free,

And now we soar,

Her broken wings glide on the breeze.

The caged bird sings,

Because the song will set us free,

Jackie was crying when Crystal walked in from practice. "Oh my God J, are you okay? What's wrong?"

"Your song, Jackie croaked, it's so sad. How did you manage to come up with something like that?"

"It's not sad. The song saves both the birds, and they get set free. How is that sad?"

"I don't know." Jackie sniffed, "It just is. You should sing this at the talent show, both your parents are coming right? They would really get something out of this."

"I don't know Jack, that's tomorrow isn't it?"

"So, it doesn't matter. You have to sing. In fact, sing it for me right now."

"But you just read it!"

"I want to hear it."

"Oh fine. _I know why the caged bird sings…."_

TIME SKIP

"…_because the song will set us free_." Crystal hopped down from the stage. Everyone in the auditorium was clapping their hands off. This is the third time they made her do a performance at school. Two minutes after the talent show, a man in a black suit had given her his card and told her he wanted to make her famous. Her song was now overplayed on the radio and she was Hollywood's newest charity case. Luckily, her agent had managed to keep her out of the tabloids so far, but that didn't mean a thing. Jackie ran up and gave her friend a bone crushing hug.

"How's it rock star chick?"

"Same as before," Crystal replied, "with a few more fan boys." The friends smiled demonically and snuck off to get some Taco Bell.

SPACE/TIME SKIP

Neji, Tenten and Rock Lee were walking aimlessly through Konoha, trying to amuse themselves. Lee was telling Tenten some outrageous story about horseradish and Tenten was giggling behind her hand. Lee could be funny when her wanted to be. Neji, on the other hand, was exasperated. His team had always driven him insane and this was not an exception. His day was only going to get worse.

"Hey guys! What's up?"

"Nothing much Naruto!" Tenten yelled back, waving the yellow haired boy over.

"How are you doing Naruto?" asked Lee.

"I'm great!" The hyperactive squirt yelled basically right in Neji's ear. "Sasuke is having a sleepover and we wanted to know if you guys would like to come."

"We would be honored!" Lee returned and Tenten nodded corroboratively.

Neji shook his head. Something told him Sasuke wouldn't be happy when he found out Naruto was planning major events at his house again, Neji understood that. Having a big house doesn't make you any less anti-social.

"Come on Neji." Tenten cooed, it won't be any fun without you. She made her lip pout and used her cow-eyes to their full potential, basically, she was impossible to say no to.

"Oh fine." Neji muttered.

"Come on Neji," chided Lee, "you don't have anything better to do."

Neji sighed. "You guys better go get packed!" Naruto advised before bounding off to find more innocent victims to lure to the party.

TIME SKIP

Neji sat gloomily next to the snack table with Sasuke and Shikamaru. Sasuke was glum Naruto had invaded his house (once again) and Shikamaru was glum that he had been dragged here. It was so far to walk. Everyone else was having a great time. Naruto, Lee and Kiba were dancing to the radio (turned up way too loud) with Tenten and Hinata. Sakura and Ino were spying on Sasuke from behind the snack table. Choji and Shino were playing hang-man on Sasuke's wall with colored pencils they had stolen from Hanabi, who was trying to raise a squirrel from the dead so she could start an unholy army of fuzzy woodland creatures.

The current song (Miracle by CASCADA) ended and a new one came on. "Oh," Tenten squealed, "this is that new song by the girl from Japan! Turn it up!" Naruto obeyed pumping the song louder. Neji was about to protest that and increased volume from the already pounding speaker would deafen the entire village until he heard the opening lyrics to the song.

"_I know why the caged bird sings, I know why she cries. She longs to be free, just like me; you can see it in her eyes…"_

Neji's head started to spin, the world tilted from side to side at weird angles and the boy's stomach heaved. The lights in the room became too bright and Neji stumbled out of his chair and made a mad break for the door. Tenten looked worried, she said something to him but he couldn't hear her words, he could only see her mouth moving.

He raced into the forest and tripped gracelessly over a root. The fall pitched him onto the ground. He threw up several times. His forehead burned and his eyes watered. He managed to crawl a few yards before passing out.

TIME SKIP

The first thing Neji did when he woke up was run home to look up the song on the internet. He steeled himself. The song sent shivers through him again and again. After listening to it twice, Neji could sing it by heart. It had echoed through his head even in his dreams and he had to find peace. After listening to the song at least fifty times more, he knew what he had to do. He raced to Sasuke's house and shook Tenten awake. "Hey Neji." She mumbled, giving a tried and confused smile. "What time is it?"

"Tenten listen, you know that song?"

"Yeah. I'm sorry; I didn't know it would upset you. You show have told me you didn't like it."

"Yeah, whatever. Listen, I have to go to Japan."

**A/N- Cool, first chapter done. I think it's pretty damn good. Anyway, don't forget to review to ask questions, or give grammar or plot comments. Thanks again to whoever read it, you are what it's all about.**

**Next time- Neji, Shikamaru, Lee, Tenten, Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura fly (first class) to Japan to meet Crystal Lira, the girl who wrote the song that gives Neji panic attacks. Jackie and the ninja get off on the wrong foot and Crystal sends Neji into anaphylactic shock. I can't wait!**


	2. Japan, Rose Blossoms and Bad Hair Days

A/N- Hi everybody! I'm back! School's almost out yea and I'm getting a parakeet after final exams! (Which I though was kind of ironic given the story!) Enjoy your summers and read my awesome story which I also hope you enjoy…

**Disclaimer- I don't own Naruto, if it would mean I didn't have to write one of these at the beginning of **_**every**_** chapter I'd write a song about **_**that**_

**Chapter Two- Japan, Land of Rose Blossoms and Bad Hair Days**

Last Time: Neji heard a very crazy song on the radio that forced him into spiraling depression and now he and some of the crew are on their way to the land of rose blossoms to meet Crystal, the creator of the song. Meanwhile, Crystal and Jackie are still looking for a birthday present for Jackie's boyfriend…

"Crystal! Great news!"

"Pigs really can fly; they were just hiding it this whole time?" Crystal guessed sarcastically without looking up from the magazine she was reading. She had to finish five stock market articles by the end of the week or she was going to fail her business class.

"No, better. So I was thinking and I was like to myself 'Well what does everyone like?' And I was like 'I don't know, free food?' and I was like yeah and where can you get free to moderately priced food every afternoon?' and I was like 'Sam's Club! Of course!' but then I remembered Sam's Club doesn't have gift cards so I was like 'Well everyone likes some kind of electronics right?' so I decided to get Will, drum roll please,"

Crystal sighed and looked up, patting out a drum roll on her thigh, "Tada! I got him a Best Buy gift card!"

"You got your boyfriend a gift card? I thought you weren't gonna do that cause it was 'insensitive' or something."

"Oh well, he won't care."

Crystal got up, suddenly needing some spicy food, "Okay, let's just go."

"Yeah! Fancy restaurant time!" Crystal changed into well cut black pants and a periwinkle button up with a black camisole with silver trim under it. She buttoned the collared shirt up about half way and put on a pair of 'not-to-high' heels. Then she put on some light makeup and the two of them walked toward Crystal's dark blue Mustang convertible, the music biz has some perks after all.

"For the record," Crystal said as they got on the freeway to meet Will and his brother for his 'birthday dinner', "Sam's Club does have gift cards. They're by the customer's service desk."

Jackie sighed, "You tell me this _after_ I buy a Best Buy gift card!" she whined. Crystal chuckled, things had calmed down in the past couple weeks, luckily, she was beginning to become old news. Never a dull moment, but at least people were jumping off roofs or sprinting through traffic to meet her anymore. Not that she knew of anyway.

SPACE/TIME SKIP

At the restaurant…

Jackie, Crystal, Jackie's boyfriend Will and Will's older brother Matt were sitting around a corner table packed with food. Crystal and Matt were enjoying some fine curry and Will was thanking Jackie for her 'wonderful' and 'thoughtful' gift. Jackie was nodding and smiling and being bubbly as usual. Crystal and Matt were high school seniors and the best of friends. They were happy to chow down on food they probably wouldn't pay for in companionable silence where as the other two, sophomores, had to talk all the time or they'd start to feel 'uncomfortable'.

At the moment, the conversation was about how much Jackie enjoyed Cheeze Nips, just about as random as usual. Then, abruptly, the younger girl stood up and announced that she had to go to the bathroom. "Then go!" Crystal groaned, Jackie frequently felt the need to announce her whims to the world. Matt nodded and Will didn't notice because he had finally found a break in Jackie's incessant talking to start eating, and now nothing would make him stop.

SPACE SKIP

Neji jumped out of the cab and ran toward the restaurant. The plane trip had nearly killed him. They had flown first class because Neji's uncle had insisted. So he sat there, his nails tearing little rips in the super-padded chair he was sitting in while his friends (Tenten and Lee had come because they wouldn't let him go alone and team 7 had come to fly first class and Shikamaru had come because he was the closest thing to parental supervision the group of shinobi had) while they ogled about flying first class and drank free refreshments and ate free food. They also played that damn song 3 times on the eighteen hour flight not counting all the times they played it in the airports that they switched planes at. Nonstop flight hadn't been an option. If all this wasn't enough to kill him, Neji hadn't been able to find out anything about Crystal Lira. Her agent must have been really good; there was nothing anywhere, a near impossible feat nowadays.

When they had finally landed in Tokyo, they had taken a cab to the small city that the album jacket said the girl lived in (Tenten loved the singer to death and had bought the CD the second it came out).

Once they got there, they finally hit a lucky streak. They asked a teenager for directions and found out that he played soccer with Crystal. She was the team captain at her high school. They also learned her best friend was the scariest random happy person the boy knew and that girl's boyfriend's brother was the co-captain of the team. The boy said he should have been at practice but Crystal and Matt (the brother) had canceled it for the boyfriend/younger brother Will's birthday and the four previously mentioned parties were taking him out for dinner.

At this point, it took Tenten, Lee, Shikamaru and Sasuke to keep Neji from ripping the restaurant name out of the boy's throat. He told them, reluctantly, where he thought the four were and he even offered to give the shinobi a ride, except his sports car wouldn't hold them all, so they had taken two cabs to the other side of town.

So Neji ran across three major streets to get to the restaurant and his friends caught him right before he could be crushed by an oncoming bus. Then, after Tenten rationalized away Neji's primary anxiety, they proceeded relatively calmly into the restaurant. Lee, who definitely had the most manners of all of the ninja, politely asked the head waiter if there was a Mr. Matt Gilding here (he figured if he asked for Crystal the guy would catch on. Lee's smart like that). The waiter went into the back of the restaurant and a girl walked out, her arms were crossed and she looked pretty pissed off.

"Hello miss," Lee began, all of them knew that this wasn't Crystal because she was on the her own album cover at least. "can you tell me where we could fine Matt Gilding?"

"You guys are here to talk to Matt? Who is your hair stylist? They deserve to be shot." The girl replied snottily. It was obvious that Lee's diplomacy was going nowhere with this kid, so Shikamaru stepped in.

"Yes, we are. We are interested in talking to him and Crystal Lira if she is available about a very interesting scholarship opportunity. Who are you?" Shika responded coolly.

"I'm Jackie Zales and I was already up to come tell you to beat it. How about you go home and take a shower then maybe we'll talk?" Jackie was just majorly pissed off because these goons were intruding on her Willy's b-day dinner.

"Well could you spare one minute of your precious minute of your time to step aside and let us _find_ who we need? It's obviously not you." Sasuke tried, a bit indignant, he was used to being the stuck up one who always got his way.

"Your hair looks like a chickens butt." Jackie said arrogantly.

Sasuke looked like he was about to cry.

Neji sighed and stepped forward, "I really need to talk to Crystal." He said earnestly, showing way more emotion then usual. He was at breaking point.

"Okay, take your cheap conditioner and get a life." Jackie scoffed.

"Hey, don't talk to my friend that way!" Tenten wasn't usually a bitch, but any girl can be good at it if you push them too far.

"Hey G-I Jane (Tenten does kinda act like a tom boy and wear cargo pants a lot) get in line, I can only insult so many people at one time."

Tenten puffed and made a fist which was caught by Sakura.

Sakura, the voice of reason for once was calm, "We should go now. You can tell we're intruding. Some people like role playing while they eat, obviously this chick's playing the queen." All girls can be bitches, some are just naturally better at it.

Lee nodded and the ninja dragged Neji and Tenten out.

"Don't worry," Naruto muttered, he had stood at the back of the group, and he still wasn't sure why he was in Japan but he was upset because all of his friends were upset now, "this isn't over."

SPACE SKIP

Jackie got up and attempted to drag Crystal with her to the bathroom, something she usually did, but Crystal was way too caught up in her curry to notice her friend leave. So Jackie walked to the front of the restaurant all alone, only to be met be the madrilène half way.

"Miss, there are some people here to see Mr. Gilding; I don't think you would want me to let them in."

"Don't worry Marco; I'll take care of it." Jackie said with a confident smile, she didn't like when people intruded on her evening. Less then ten minutes later she was back at the table talking nonstop with Will, who had finished eating. He had learned to eat fast. Crystal wouldn't know until later that anyone at all had wanted to talk to her at all, and by the time she found out it would be too late….

TIME/SPACE SKIP

Neji paced angrily, wearing a shallow but steadily deepening rut in the carpet of their apartment room. Everyone had been much calmer and happier after ordering room service and after deciding they weren't going to make anymore progress that night Tenten promised Neji they would resume their search in the morning and the gang had headed for the pool.

Neji had gone too, trying to distract himself. Fully clothed, he had sat with perfect posture in a chair that was supposed to let you lay down. But watching his friends for only a few minutes told him trying to distract himself was a lost cause.

Naruto had started a water war with Lee and Shikamaru and they were cheerfully going at it. Sasuke joined for awhile but he was much too distracted trying to look emo to attract hot girls. (Everyone knows girls flock to built, mysterious bad boys who 'need to be loved/saved from themselves'-and the long, shiny hair which is not chicken-butt shaped when it's wet didn't hurt either). Sakura and Tenten had been enjoying flirting with local studs in the moon pool but had been pulled abruptly into their friends' war when the boys had teamed up to annoy them. Friends don't let friends date non-friends after all.

Neji had walked back to the room and started to pace. All of the sudden, an idea struck him. Crystal had to come out of the restaurant sometime, and when she did he could follow her home. Not in a pervy way or anything, just so he could get her alone to talk to her. The ironically funny part was that Neji didn't even know what he was going to say to Crystal when her found her. He just knew with burning intensity that he had to meet this girl who had so effectively finger painted her songs lyrics on the backs of his eyelids with his blood. She had written a song that reminded him so much of his own compressed emotions, he swore the first time he heard the song that he could feel her digging around inside his brain.

So, without further delay, Neji hopped out the window, planning to land gracefully on an awning. Instead, he missed the front one by inches and because of physics, wind speed and mass calculations that were then moot because Neji was falling in a different way then he planned to, he landed on his ass on the pavement in the alley that ran next to the hotel and probably broken his tail bone. But, being an invincible Hyuuga, he got up and ran to catch a cab.

TIME SKIP

Neji got out of the cab just as Crystal and the gang got into Crystal's Mustang and drove toward Matt and Will's house. Neji couldn't see any of the group's faces but he recognized the annoying girls outfit. He hopped into another cab and followed the 'Stang to the large and swanky apartment complex in a very ritzy neighborhood. Matt and Will said goodbye to the girls and went inside. Crystal then dropped Jackie off at her house and headed home.

Crystal's POV

Crystal had to park pretty far away from her house and walk because one of her neighbors was throwing a giant party and there were cars everywhere. As she crossed the highway, she was glad she had dropped Jackie off. If the girl was sleeping over, they would have had to walk all the way to the bridge (Jackie refused to cross the busy high way for fear of becoming a road pizza but Crystal found these fears to be childish and unfounded, being an invincible teenager and all). As soon as she set foot on the opposite side of the road, Crystal heard her name. She turned to look just in time to see a handsome-looking guy with long chocolaty (A/N- Yes, that is how you spell it) brown hair get nailed in the gut by the front fender of a Camero. Crystal covered her mouth as the boy flew 300 yards into a fire hydrant and slumped over on the ground, unconscious.

Neji's POV

Neji called out the girl's name. It had to be her. He could finally meet her. He knew he would know what to say when he needed to talk. He strode confidently into the street and called her name one more time. But as we already learned, Neji has a problem respecting the authority of oncoming traffic and the next thing he knew he was sailing through the air. He heard some of his ribs snap as he was hammered into a fire hydrant and the world sank into a hazy black.

Crystal's POV

Crystal hurdled garbage cans and parked cars to get to the semi-conscious boy. She knelt down and pressed her fingers to his neck. He had a pulse so she dragged him away from the curb unto some grass and put her head next to his mouth. She heard a steady stream of air coming out and was secretly glad she wouldn't have to do anything hard and embarrassing like CPR.

The ass hole in the car that hit the boy hadn't even slowed down so Crystal knew she was on her own. Just as she was getting worried about the fact that she had left her cell phone in her car, the boy sat up. He blinked blearily at first then his eyes were wide open. "You're Crystal Lira!" he exclaimed before promptly passing out.

TIME SKIP

Crystal sat next to her bed watching the boy's chest rise and fall steadily. She had half carried, half dragged him back to her house then hidden him in her room so her Dad wouldn't see him if he happened to come home. Not a large chance, but still a chance. The boy stirred and sat up, pushing himself to his elbows. Neji's ribs had already started to heal and soon he would be fighting fit.

"How do you feel?" Crystal asked, genuinely concerned. She usually only felt the extreme need for spicy food once a month, and this was the second time today she had it. She chalked it up to stress and forced her mind forward.

"Sore." Neji responded flatly. His head hurt and his stomach was growling but worst of all was the tightness in his chest that he knew had nothing to do with getting hit by a car. He _didn't_ know what to say, and now was to time to talk.

Crystal compensated for his lack of words nicely though, "Are you hungry?" she asked.

"Starving." He responded. She went downstairs and came back with two steaming bowls of left over curry. She had taken quite a bit home with her. She handed him a bowl and started chowing down. He ate too, a bite or so anyway.

Neji grasped at his throat and clawed for breath. His bulged in their sockets and his tongue lolled out of his mouth. He choked and sputtered and coughed, trying to ask for help.

"Are you alright? I'm sorry, you should have said you didn't like spicy food."

Neji felt like his throat was closing up. He couldn't breathe. He was just starting to worry about the effects of lack of oxygen when he passed out. Crystal shrieked and caught him before he could fall off the bed. Within ten minutes, She was cradling the boy's head in the back seat of Matt's SUV as he speed toward the hospital…

A/N- So yeah, I've decided I'm gonna try to pair either Sasuke or Shika or Naruto with Jackie (I'm open to suggestions) and I'm gonna try to update soon.

**Next time- Neji finally get's to talk to the girl who's made his life a living hell in only about fifty words and Jackie goes on a cleaning rampage. Stick around!**


	3. Cleanliness is Next To Godliness,I Think

A/N- Greetings! I got a parakeet, his name is Petri, like the dish but he was actually named after an inside joke involving my friend's grade school nickname, and he is blue and hell sent. He bites and screeches but doesn't really sing (he's still cute anyway). Sorry for the long wait but I've been working my ass off at Summerfest. Anyway, enjoy the chapter, I hope it's good, REVIEW!

**Disclaimer- I own nothing, I need nothing, I don't own time or property or emotion, I rent. I also don't own any song lyrics so shove it. **

**Chapter Three- Cleanliness is Next To Godliness, I Think**

Last Time: Neji got himself beaten up emotionally and physically indirectly by searching for Crystal but directly by not respecting the authority of oncoming traffic, Jackie and the Gilding boys had a great time at the restaurant for Will's birthday which Crystal enjoyed as well until she went home in time to see Neji get hit by a car and then she accidentally poisoned him with curry, which she had no idea he was allergic to. So currently, Jackie and Will are sleeping while Matt and Crystal are in the emergency room and the ninja crew has just noticed their buddy is missing…

"So, let me get this straight, this kid calls your name, gets hit by a car, wakes up in your room, passes out again, and you not only take him to the hospital but you wait to see him and you've never met him before in your life?" Matt asked incredulously.

"Nope, never seen him in my life." Crystal sighed. This was the third time Matt was asking her the same question and she couldn't wait for the night to be over.

It was midnight an they were basically the only people in the EMERGENCY waiting room. Will had just fallen asleep when Crystal had called her best friend for help so Matt hadn't bothered to wake him. Crystal hadn't called Jackie because compared to the questions Matt had asked, 'When did you find him?' 'Where did he come from?' 'Are you alright?' and 'Should I go to the front door or the back?' Jackie could have been the Spanish Inquisition. Not that that was a bad thing, but sometimes –all the time- matters such as this one were easiest when there was no one to over complicate them, and that's what Jackie was best at, over complicating things.

Matt sighed and picked up a News Week that was sitting on one of the little plastic waiting room tables and flipped through it. "I can't believe you even talked to this guy, I mean come on. You didn't know him or anything, you should have called an ambulance in the first place and been done with it."

"I know. It's just that, I don't know, it seemed like he knew me, or like he wanted to talk to me or something." Crystal admitted with a shrug. "I don't know what it was, but he's not like anyone I've ever met before. The way he talked and the way he acted, it's like he's from a different planet entirely."

Matt sighed again, "Now you're starting to sound like Jackie."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Excuse me, are you Crystal Lira?"

The fighting teens turned to study the tall, brown haired girl standing in front of a group of kids who looked out of place in a hospital. The girl was dressed in jeans and a tee shirt but she was only wearing flip flops on her feet and her wet hair had been thrown up into two little messy buns on the sides of her head. All of the boys were wearing swim trunks and shirts that had obviously been thrown on. The other girl was wearing an insanely short skirt and flip flops and her shirt, if it could be called that, was a bright pink halter that stopped right under her chest. They were a funny looking bunch all right.

Matt was gaping but Crystal recovered quickly, "Yes, I am, can I help you?

"Hell yes you can," an emo looking boy with hot longish hair replied sulkily, "you can tell us where our friend ran off to, and what he was doing when you hospitalized him."

The tall girl elbowed him in the ribs, "I'm sorry, we're not trying to be rude," she glared at the emo boy, "we'd just like to know if you've seen our friend, we called him and he wouldn't pick up, but the lady at the front desk said a boy of his description came in so we came to find him. Maybe you can help us out?"

"Maybe _you_ can help _us_ out. Who are you guys?" Matt asked heatedly.

"We're ninja!" Naruto exclaimed.

Crystal and Matt looked up at the kids in disbelief, they were wide awake all of the sudden. They looked up for about two seconds then burst into hysterical laughter. It had been a long night.

(Back in) TIME SKIP

Ten ten got back to the room first. It was almost midnight so the hotel staff was closing the pool down for the night. Neji wasn't there, telling her he had probably gone for a walk to arrange his thoughts- something he did quite often. She checked her cell phone's voice mail to find two odd things. 1) She got service here, although she was way out of the scope of her plan and 2) She had no messages.

She paced angrily, pissed that once again her friend had wandered off on a whim without so much as a phone call. She sighed heavily and plopped down on the bed, holding the 2 button on her cell phone (A/N- Yes Neji is 2 on Ten ten's speed dial, right after her house and right before the pizza delivery guy). The phone rang four times, then went to voice mail, 'This is Neji Hyuuga. I obviously don't want to talk to you, you're not worth answering for. If I were you I wouldn't even bother leaving a message." There was a click then a beep and the buzz of the voice mail waiting to hear the message. Ten ten hung up.

That was odd. Neji always answered her calls. The only times he didn't want to talk, even to her, he turned his phone off. This was not good. Now it was her turn to pace.

The rest of the gang came up a few minutes later, dripping and in a good mood. All of them fell silent when they saw Ten ten pacing angrily, with a worried crinkle between her eyebrows.

"Neji's not here?" Lee guessed, exasperated.

Ten ten shook her head.

"Don't worry." Sakura said kindly, sitting down next to Ten ten.

Naruto looked sad.

"Come on Ten ten, there's really only three places Neji could be. The liquor store down the street, drowning his troubles, or out looking for the Lira girl, or in the hospital." Shika said logically.

Ten ten let out a little squeal and hid he face in her hands, thus beginning a very long night.

TIME SKIP

Neji woke up in a little cream-colored room in the intensive care ward of the hospital. He was pale and tired but he couldn't be happier. The nurse had just left. She had told him that he was going to be just fine then he had asked her if anyone was waiting for him. The nurse had told him he had a little army waiting to see him and he had only let her leave with the promise that she would bring Crystal in to see him. Only Crystal, no one else. Now he lay back, considering what he was going to say.

He had made himself sound like an idiot last time around, so he decided he had to plan his speech now. Then, nothing could make him look stupid when he got his second chance to make a first impression.

Crystal came in; she had dressed down from her fancy dinner clothes into faded jeans and a bright blue form-fitting tank top. The blue shirt was accented by an orange belt and neon orange hoop earrings, which she somehow managed to pull off.

She gave him a warm smile and pulled one of those super-uncomfortable hospital chairs up to his bed, sat down and pushed her hair out of her face. "Hey, how're you doing? You really should have told me you couldn't take spicy." She said apologetically, "You look like crap." She added with a rueful smile.

She was easy to like, even though she had just met him, she was treating him like a friend, or at least like a long time comrade. He couldn't help return her smile. "Sorry I've cause you so much trouble lately, I didn't mean to, honestly."

"So you say, but what I can't figure out is, why does such a smart boy cross a busy street with no respect for the authority of oncoming traffic then, you eat food with no regard for what's in it. It's almost like you're trying to get yourself killed, that or you really like pain. If you are a ninja, you must be a pretty crappy one."

Neji blushed, just a little. "_I'm a good ninja._" He moped to himself. "_A genius._" But there was no way to tell Crystal that. He just had to push through. "There isn't oncoming traffic where I'm from. It's very different."

Crystal chuckled, "Where are you from? No cars? That's crazy. And, if it's true, why are you here."

"I don't know," He answered honestly, "I was kind of hoping you could tell me."

She was laughing out loud now, "You've better go back to your mystery land dude, I don't have all the answers. I'm barely passing my AP Physics class."

Neji laid back on his pillows, at least this was going better then it did the last time. "Why did you write that song?" Neji asked, barely able to contain himself. Crystal looked thoughtful; she stared over him like she was trying to decode the answer from the creamy wallpaper.

Crystal's POV

She was stumped. Crystal had never known where her inspiration had come from. She had been writing songs since she was a little kid, and they always just came to her. She somehow knew what he was talking about. The bird song. He looked so desperate, like his entire existence depended on her answer.

She sighed and looked him in the eye, "I don't know. Honestly I couldn't even begin to explain it. I suppose I feel trapped all the time I my life, held back by all the things I can't do, and all of the thing people need from me and I can't give them, kind of like right now actually. I wish I had all of the answers and I wish I could do more. I wish I knew where I was going and what the world wanted from me, where my life was going. I wish I knew if destiny was going somewhere with me or if I'm just floating, all alone, in the wind and I have to find some way to steer myself through my life. It kills me, not knowing, and that's the best I've got."

She shook her head and looked at Neji with big, dreamy eyes. She looked lost and he wished he could do something to help her, but he was feeling as lost as she looked.

Crystal looked up and smiled again, bad mood blown away. She swiped at her eyes and took another deep breath. "Now I'm done being sentimental. I'm sure you're friends are anxious to see you and I'm taking all of your time with my stupid senior slump."

She got up and put the chair back, waiting for confirmation from him that they were done.

Neji's POV

Neji was shell-shocked but trying to collect himself. He looked at Crystal then back at the ceiling. His friends. Yes, they would certainly be worried, and he did owe them an explanation. He nodded, hardly able to comprehend everything Crystal had just told him.

And she said he was a bad ninja! She had just spilled her personal inner workings to (basically) a complete stranger. He had come all this way, risked his life for this silly obsession, and now he didn't know what to do.

Then she was smiling again and he just stopped worrying. For the first time in his life, he had decided to let whatever was going to happen happen and not worry about it.

"Okay Neji, I'll go get your friends and I'll see you later okay."

"Okay." Neji agreed, worn out.

She turned to leave and without prior thought he called her back "Hey Crystal?"

"Hum?" She asked, turning back to face him.

He found, once again, that words had escaped him, "Thanks." He decided lamely.

"Don't mention it. What are you thanking me for?"

Neji shrugged and gave her another rare smile.

"Okay then." She shrugged back and disappeared out the door. Neji went to sleep.

TIME SKIP

He didn't get to sleep long though, because in a matter of minutes he was surrounded by his friends. Ten ten was worrying over him and bugging him about how he didn't even call and Sasuke was complaining about how Jackie (who had arrived while Crystal was visiting Neji) wouldn't stop making fun of his hair. Shikamaru and Naruto were having a food related argument of some sort while Sakura complained about how she hadn't had the chance to comb out her hair properly after swimming and Lee was trying to assure her that she always looked beautiful and she was telling him how he was full of crap.

Neji sighed, just like always. Out of the blue, he let an amused smile cross his lips and, one by one, they all turned from what they were whining about to stare at him.

"You guys know you're really annoying right?" he asked, pleased that his of the cuff behavior had gotten them to shut up. They stared in shock at him for another couple seconds before launching into their own responses.

"Have you gone insane? You're not even listening to my ranting!" Ten ten moaned.

"Calm down," Sasuke chimed in, "he's right you guys are annoying as hell."

"Oh we're annoying?" Sakura snapped and Shikamaru nodded in support.

"Yes you are." Ten ten agreed.

"Don't be so mean." Lee moped and all of this was drowned out when Naruto climbed out of his stupor during which he had been whispering "Neji the Hyuuga smiled." in amazed and reverent tones and he shrieked "NEJI-KUN WAS REPLACED BY A ROBOT CLONE!!"

"Naruto, you watch entirely too much TV." Sakura chuckled and they all joined in the laughter. (Except Neji, who was scouling.)

"Just like a big happy family!" the nurse exclaimed, bustling in with some soup-broth on a tray. "I'm sorry but you'll all have to leave now, visiting hours are over and so you can see your friend again in the morning.

So they said their goodbyes and were ushered out and Neji got to go back to sleep: For a while, that is…

TIME SKIP

Crystal didn't have to drive everyone home; Matt handled that, so all she had to do was sleep. She had talked to Ten ten and they were going to meet up by the fountain at the mall so the Jackie and the crew could give them a tour then they were going to go out for lunch.

Unlike her friend, Crystal did not judge people based on their hair styles, so after the ninjas had stopped trying to convince the teens that they were ninja, they became instant friends.

But, like Neji, Crystal didn't get to sleep for long, because she was woken up at five a.m. by Jackie, who had decided that 'Spring Cleaning' should really be done in the fall…

Crystal swam groggily to the surface of her dream, which had been confusing but good overall. It had involved two pink llamas, a weird guy with red eyes and a cloak covered in little red clouds, and of course, her new friend Neji. Now she would never know how it ended, damn it.

She was jolted fully awake when the loud vacuum cleaner which had dragged her from her dreams was chunkily pushed against her bed and dust from the shelf above her head rained down into her eyes.

She sneezed and sputtered up at Jackie, who was leaning on the vacuum and smile sadistically. "Hey champ! How was sleep?"

"What sleep?" Crystal asked annoyed, pushing her covers back and shuffling to the bathroom.

As soon as she was up, Jackie stripped the sheets off her bed and remade it with clean ones, throwing the old one into the hamper. She then dusted the shelf and finished vacuuming.

When Crystal got out of the shower wrapped in a towel and her slippers, and nothing else, because her clothes had disappeared, she was amazed to find her room sparkling. Her dressers were dust-free and organized, she could see her desk and her floor, the window was gunk free and as soon as she crossed into the bedroom, Jackie bulleted into the bathroom and like the White Tornado, made it all shine like the mirror. Crystal found a nicer tee-shirt and some jeans and through them on.

Jackie, finished with the bathroom, beamed. "I cleaned my house and got bored so I waxed your kitchen floor, re-decorated your living room and got your room ready for our sleep over with over new friends." She said with a smirk.

"Huh? I though you didn't like cleaning, or my new friends for that matter."

"Well, I made up with them when Matt told me I had to and it turns out, Sakura and me have a lot in common, and the emo kid is an animal but after learning that I couldn't sleep so I cleaned and you see where that led."

Crystal glanced over at the clock and noticed that it was six and the sun was just coming up. She shook her head, "I though you were dating Will."

"I am." Jackie replied, obviously unaware of the fact that relationships require commitment. "And now, it's almost seven, so we can go pick your friend up from the hospital."

Crystal sighed, the room was spinning a little because Jackie was talking so fast and the bleach fumes must have been getting to them both, she shrugged and did what she always did when Jackie got like this. "Okay Jackie, grab your coat, I'll drive." She grabbed her keys and walked to her car. it was going to be a long day…

A/N- Poor chapter but I'm working on it, hope you enjoyed!

**Next time- Shopping with ninja is really a disaster when Kakashi pays his team a visit and Jackie is kidnapped by Gaara and the Sand Siblings. Stick around!**


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